Earring with slidable spring-urged clamp



NOV. 4, 1958 J 0 5c 2,858,679

EARRING WITH SLIDABLE' SPRING-URGED CLAMP Filed April 2, 1954 52:22am git-In In IN VEN TOR.

J ES MORESCHI United States Patent James Moreschi, New York, N. Y., assignor to Rudolph I I Junsch, Kings County, and Harry Greiner, Floral Park, N. Y., jointly Application April 2, 1954, Serial No. 420,493

' 1 Claim. or. 63-14) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in-earrings and earring construction.

More particularly, the present inventionv proposes the construction of an improved earring which can easily and conveniently be put on by the use of one hand only.

As another object, the present invention proposes forming the earring with a housing and a slidable plunger having an ear end portion which will be continuously biased against the wearers ear lobe regardless of movement or change of size due to temperature of other effects and yet which can be retracted and held in a novel manner.

Another object of the present invention proposes providing the housing with means all enclosed in the housing removably to lock the plunger in a retracted position.

Still further, the present invention proposed arranging the locking means so that the plunger may selectively be locked in a number of retracted positions.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a pictorial view showing the new earring, constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention, in place.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the earring removed.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the earring with parts broken away and in section.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the plunger retracted and held in retracted position with an ear hearing position of the plunger indicated in dot-dash outline.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a plunger similar to that shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 but illustrating a modification of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating another modification of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 6.

The earring 15, in accordance with the first form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, has a U- shaped stirrup 16 with two spaced apart free ends 17 and 18.

An ornament 19 is secured to the free end 17 of the stirrup and this end of the stirrup is also provided with a rear abutment portion 20 behind the ornament. The ornament may, of course, be of any type.

A housing 21 is secured to the other free end 18 of the stirrup and preferably aligned with the center of the ornament. Housing 21 has an axial chamber 22 perpendicular to the end 18 of the stirrup. The chamber 22 extends completely through the housing and has open ends 23 and 24 at the front and back of the chamber, respectively.

Chamber 22 tapers axially, the front opening 23 being larger than the rear opening 24 and the front portion of the chamber being of larger diameter than the rear portion of the chamber.

2 A plunger 25, preferably in the form of a round rod, is .s'lidably mounted in the chamber 22. Plunger 25 has an enlarged finger grip 26 at its rear end which .is larger than the rear open end 24 of chamber 22 and is disposed outside the chamber.

, Plunger 25 .also has an enlarged cylindrical portion 27 '(larger, in diameter than-the plunger rod) at its front end which slidably fits the chamber 22 at the front portion of the chamber but which wedges against the chamber wall at the rear portion of the chamber to lock the plunger in a retracted position (see Fig. 4). The length of the plunger is such thateven when fully extended (see Fig. 3) the portion 27 of the plunger is not entirely outside the chamber 22. s v v A coil spring 28 is provided around the plunger 25 and inthe Chamber 22 "between the enlarged portion'27 (of the plunger and the rear wall 29 of the chamber 22. Spring 28 normally biases the plunger 25 in the extended position shown in Fig. 3 with the finger grip 26 abutting the housing 21.

Plunger 25 has an ear bearing portion 30 at its front end next to its enlarged portion 27 to bear against one side of the lobe of a wearers ear with the portion 20 of the other end 17 of stirrup 16 against the other side of the lobe.

To put on the earring, the wearer needs only to draw back the plunger 25 by the finger grip until the enlarged portion 27 wedges or sticks in the chamber and holds the plunger in retracted position. Then, by simple pressure against the finger grip when the earring is in place, the plunger will be released and the spring will bias it into holding position.

The modification of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5 is characterized by the provision of a plunger 31 similar to plunger 25 described above but having instead of an enlarged portion 27 a cylindrical sleeve 32 mounted on the plunger rod.

The modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is characterized by the provision of a stirrup 33 having two free ends 34 and 35 with a housing 36 mounted on end 35 perpendicular to this end.

Housing 36 has an axial chamber 37 which is not tapered but is straight with a front end opening 38 and a rear end opening 39. The front open end 38 of the chamber is disposed across from the other free end 34 of the stirrup 33.

A plunger 40 is slidably mounted in the chamber 37. Plunger 40 has a finger grip 41 at its rear end which is larger than the rear end opening 39 of chamber 37 and is disposed outside the chamber.

Housing 36 also has an axial keyway 42 at one side of chamber 37 and connected with the chamber. The keyway does not extend the full length of the chamber but extends from the front open end 38 a substantial distance back.

A plurality of locking recesses 43, 44, 45 and 46 are provided in the housing extending from the keyway 42 and connected with the chamber 37.

Fixed to the plunger 40 on an enlarged portion 47 is a key 48 adapted to slide in the keyway and to fit in the locking recesses.

A coil spring 49 is mounted on the plunger around the plunger and in the chamber 37 between the rear open end of the chamber and the key 48 on the plunger. The spring normally biases the plunger in an extended position with the finger grip 41 abutting the housing 36.

The locking recesses 43, 44 and 45 are spaced close together adjacent the front end opening of the chamber and locking recess 46 is disposed adjacent the rear end of the chamber, preferably at a point where the coil spring is completely compressed.

It will be apparent that in any form of the invention,

means to lock the plunger in retracted position may be omitted and the wearer can hold the plunger in such position if desired.

.- While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent An earring comprising a U-shaped stirrup having two fspacedfree ends, a housing secured to one of the free ends, said housinghaving an axially taperingchamber Iwith two open ends the larger open end being disposed across fro'mthe other free end of the stirrup, a plunger slidably mounted in the chamber, a finger grip at one end of the plunger larger thanvthe smaller open end of the chamber and disposed outside the chamber, means at the other end of the plunger slidably to fit in the larger portion of the tapering chamber and to wedge in the smaller portion of the chamber to hold the plunger in a retracted position, a coil spring around the plunger and in the chamber between said means and the smaller open end of the chamber, said means being an enlarged portion of the plunger, and an ornament secured to the stirrup on the end of the stirrup across from the housing, said spring biasing said plunger and enlarged portion into extended position toward said ornament.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

